Holly remembers Michael Clarke Duncan

Holly Robinson Peete said Omarosa Manigault never gave up hope that her secret fiancé, Michael Clarke Duncan, would return to good health.

“We all know Omarosa’s a strong personality. You want Omarosa with you if something like this happens,” Holly told “Access Hollywood,” describing how Omarosa kept vigil by her man’s side.

“She wanted everything to be very, very private for him. She was protecting him, his legacy and fighting for her man. She was just amazing,” said Holly, whose mom once served as The Green Mile actor’s manager.

“She represented him from 1998 to 2003,” she explained. “He was like a brother to me.”

Holly said she visited Michael while he was in the hospital trying to recover from a heart attack that occurred in July. The Oscar nominee opened his eyes a few times during his hospitalization.

“There were moments of hope,” said Holly.

After his death, it was revealed that Omarosa and Michael had plans to marry. Holly confirmed that they were indeed in love and preparing to spend their lives together.

“Anybody who thinks that love wasn’t real, all you had to do was be around them. They loved each other so much. They referred to each other as, ‘My Love,’” she said. “They had something really magical. They were planning a wedding in Africa. They were putting it all together, then this tragedy just happened.”

According to Holly, Omarosa, who performed CPR on Michael following his collapse, is keeping busy by helping to plan his homegoing services.

“She’s doing as well as she can. She’s in the middle of getting ready for his homegoing, and she wants it to be that: a celebration,” Holly said.

Michael’s fans will be able to pay their last respects to the bodyguard-turned-actor on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in Los Angeles. An invitation-only service is being held on Monday.

Holly said it’s important to Omarosa that Michael’s family, fans and friends know one thing: “She wanted people to know that he fought. He fought really, really hard,” she said.